Editor's Column: Time for 20 Questions and Some Answers

We at Credit Union Times love what we do. Like credit union professionals, we surely don’t do it for the money. We love covering the news–good and bad–of the credit union community. We believe in a free press and an educated public. We believe that credit unions make a difference in the world. Credit Union Times is dedicated to serving you, which is why on occasion I’ll ask our loyal readers what you want from the leading credit union news source.

As we head into budget season, I want our audience to take a primary role in that. Credit Union Times is proud of our track record of providing credit union leaders with the most accurate, trusted news in the business, but we know we can always do better.

Do you read us in print or online or both?

How do you read Credit Union Times?

How do you use CUTimes.com?

What would make our website easier to use and navigate?

What do you do with the print copy after you’re finished reviewing it?

What issues would you like us to cover more?

What would you like to see less of?

Would you be interested in a Credit Union Times news app for your tablet?

Do you own a tablet?

Would you be interested in other apps and tools from us, and if so, for what?

Do you like participating in or seeing the results of online polls relevant to credit unions’ business?

We take pride in our work but we’re humble enough to know we can’t read your minds. Help us help you with your news and information needs.

The next question: Is it time for a fresh look at your own business? There are a couple thousand credit unions out there that do a great job of staying on top of members’ needs and wants. You can’t always to everything but you always do all that you can. At the other end of the spectrum, there are credit unions that bury their heads deep in the sand and hope this Internet fad will just pass so they can continue with business the way they’ve always done things. I know I harp on this issue from a variety of angles, but I care too much about the credit union community to not try to nudge everyone forward.

I recognize that forward isn’t the same for everyone. Understanding your field of membership’s demographics is important to how you run your business. If you run a credit union with a high-tech FOM, you better a fast follower at worst. When your field of membership is in Nashville, your marketing will have a different local flavor than a credit union centered in Washington, D.C. Demographics can change in a heartbeat, whether it’s a geographic-based FOM affected by the economy or an occupation-based credit union forced to diversify its field of membership. Have policies and procedures in place that ensure the right mix of products and services for the membership as well as provide value, financial or otherwise, to the credit union.

Last week, Credit Union Times hosted a web seminar, “Loans: The Next Frontier,” featuring executives from credit unions that are truly leading the industry: Dave Larson, senior vice president at Affinity Plus FCU, and Minh McKenzie, vice president of sales and service at Community First CU. We might even say they’re Trailblazers with more than 9% membership growth each year to date annualized, plus 9% annualized loan growth. They achieved these astounding numbers as they’ll tell you in the archive of the free web seminar simply by listening to their members’ desires. Foolproof.